


Don't Set Sail On Someone Else's Star

by happywriter16



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Black Character(s), F/M, Female Character of Color, Male Character of Color, Strong Female Characters, Wakanda forever, black love, i'm all up in my feelings about these two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 10:00:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15386328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happywriter16/pseuds/happywriter16
Summary: Nakia has her own path she has to follow.





	Don't Set Sail On Someone Else's Star

**Author's Note:**

> Title believed to be an African Proverb. Author unknown.

She wants to yell "What are you doing here? I’m working. Weeks of work gone! For what?" But she doesn’t. Not because he’s a prince. He doesn’t give her a chance. 

\---

He takes her hand and doesn’t let it go as they walk onto the plane and sit. 

She knew this day would come. When she was younger, she dreamed of being queen. She imagined by the time he became king, they’d be married awhile, had children of their own. 

As she grew, she knew she’d never be queen. She’d seen too much of the suffering in the world and wanted to help. Wakanda wouldn’t do anything. Waiting to be queen to change that would require waiting too long. 

She didn’t know it was possible to break your own heart until she came to that realization. That she’d be willing to give him up and all that came with him to make the world a better place. 

That she’ll just be by his side as a friend, not family. Not his wife. 

As she sits by his side, she can’t remember the last time they saw each other. Many months ago. Maybe a year. 

She looks at him and he looks back. It’s still there. What he wants from her. Why he interrupted her work just for her to be at his side during this time. 

She can’t help but be conflicted. Love and hope and gratitude. Yet, sadness. He can’t give her what she wants, needs. And neither can she give more than she's already given.

\--

“If you weren’t so stubborn, you’d make a good queen.”

“It is because I am so stubborn that I would be a good queen. If that is what I wanted.”

She doesn’t add “and if it could be so on my terms.” Not that he would need to hear it again. 

He never asked her to marry him. He just talked about it as if he didn’t have to ask. He would say, “When you are my wife…” 

The first time he said it she was 15 and he 17. She didn’t know whether to laugh not knowing if he was serious or burst with happiness in case he was. Or take offense at the presumption. So she just said nothing, which wasn't like her at all. 

Not long after that, he wasn’t the only one talking that way. Her family, his family, friends all talked about the inevitability of T’Calla and Nakia, Prince and Princess. One day King and Queen. 

By the time she graduated from university, she chafed under T’ChallaNakia, their names strung together as if they weren’t two separate people with two separate lives. As if she was put on this earth to be his wife. 

She finally told him what she wanted to do with her life. They were standing on the river’s edge when she told him, “I will be a War Dog.”

He took a seat as if what she’d just told him was enough to knock him off his feet. She supposed it had just it had her many months ago. She sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. 

“When do start training?”

He already knew the why. They’d had many discussion and arguments about their duty to their fellow man. About how he couldn’t tell her she couldn’t do it. He wasn’t her father, not her King. But more importantly, the Dora Milaje proved women could be great warriors. 

A couple of time he’d asked her was the cause worth more than him. 

She had answered, “My happiness is worth more than anybody.” 

“Even your own life?”

“Yes.” He didn’t talk to her for a couple weeks after that. 

\---

"You get to choose what kind of King you will be," she tells him. 

She knows him, can see the question he wants to ask about her place in his life. 

Wakanda isn't there. May never be. She's still got work to do.

**Author's Note:**

> Got some help with this story from http://marvelcinematicuniverse.wikia.com/wiki/War_Dogs.


End file.
